What is Turbo Granny?
Turbo Granny is a strange old woman who runs at tremendous speed along expressways and through mountain tunnels at night. The basic story: while you are driving, someone knocks on the window; you look to the side and see an old woman running alongside, and then she overtakes the car. Details such as running on all fours or having a paper marked “turbo” stuck on her back are also told.
Where did the legend start?
The rumor spread in the 1990s, and she was said to be sighted often around Mount Rokko in Hyogo Prefecture. Depending on the region she is called “100-km Granny,” “Jet Granny,” “Dash Granny” and more, and the endings differ too: “if she passes you, you’ll have an accident,” or “she just chases you.”
Why it spread
The boring and slightly scary situation of driving on an expressway at night, combined with the humorous image of “an old woman running impossibly fast,” made it a favorite ghost story for road trips. In recent years she has appeared in manga and anime too, becoming known again to younger generations.
